scope:

The Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings, hereafter referred to as these Provisions, shall apply to the design, fabrication, erection, and quality of structural steel members and connections in the seismic force-resisting systems (SFRS), and splices and bases of columns in gravity framing systems of buildings and other structures with moment frames, braced frames, and shear walls. Other structures are defined as those structures designed, fabricated, and erected in a manner similar to buildings, with building-like vertical and lateral force-resisting elements. These Provisions shall apply to the design of seismic force-resisting systems of structural steel or of structural steel acting compositely with reinforced concrete, unless specifically exempted by the applicable building code.

Wherever these Provisions refer to the applicable building code and there is none, the loads, load combinations, system limitations, and general design requirements shall be those in ASCE Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE/SEI 7).

User Note: As specified in ASCE/SEI 7, Section 14.1.2.2.1, buildings with structural steel systems in seismic design categories B and C do not need to meet the requirements of these Provisions provided that they are designed in accordance with the AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings and the seismic design coefficients and factors of ASCE/SEI 7, Table 12.2-1, Item H. These Provisions do not apply in seismic design category A. ASCE/SEI 7 specifically exempts some systems from the requirements of these Provisions. Further discussion is provided in the Commentary.

User Note: Composite seismic force-resisting systems include those systems with members of structural steel acting compositely with reinforced concrete, as well as systems in which structural steel members and reinforced concrete members act together to form a seismic force-resisting system.

These Provisions shall be applied in conjunction with the AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, hereafter referred to as the Specification. All requirements of the Specification are applicable unless otherwise stated in these Provisions. Members and connections of the SFRS shall satisfy the requirements of the applicable building code, the Specification, and these Provisions. The phrases "is permitted" and "are permitted" in these Provisions identify provisions that comply with the Specification but are not mandatory.

In these Provisions, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318) and the Metric Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary (ACI 318M) are referred to collectively as ACI 318. ACI 318, as modified in these Provisions, shall be used for the design and construction of reinforced concrete components in composite construction. For the SFRS in composite construction incorporating reinforced concrete components designed in accordance with ACI 318, the requirements of Specification Section B3.1, Design for Strength Using Load and Resistance Factor Design, shall be used.